British Airways releases new campaign as travel restrictions ease

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Heathrow is gearing up for an invasion of passengers – the first since Covid brought air travel to a halt 15-months ago. British Airways flights to Portugal, which is on the Government’s approved list, are already sold out. But while the flag carrier insists it is ready for the return of the paying public it warned them the airport experience will be far from normal. And jaunts will certainly require a degree of planning.

Constant testing means the days of last-minute getaways are a thing of the past.

Most countries require passengers to take pre-departure Covid tests.

Take Portugal for instance, which is currently rated green.

Passengers are required to take a PCR test 72-hours before their outbound flight and a pre-departure test ahead of their return.

Before paying for flights a PCR test has to be pre-booked and is required on Day 2 after arrival back in the UK. For amber and red countries this test is also taken on Day 8.

BA – which was haemorrhaging £1million an hour at the height of the pandemic – is understandably keen to see customers return and has spent significant sums making Terminal 5 Covid compliant.

It has a new partnership with Dettol, with every passenger receiving a disinfectant pack before boarding so they can wipe down surfaces.

It has also struck deals to supply travellers with PCR tests so they are “fit to fly” – but at a price. One from Randox costs £60. Another from Eurofins is £40.41.

BA says it wants passengers to enjoy a “seamless and stress-free experience”. The reality might be very different.

They have been told not to arrive early to beat queues, but to allow the usual three hours before a long haul flight and 90 minutes for short-haul.

But they might struggle to find a seat, with every other out of bounds in arrivals and departures because of social distancing.

Families will also have to say their tearful goodbyes in the car park as only those booked on flights will be allowed into departures.

There is no social distancing on the plane but passengers will have to wear face masks for the duration of flights and change them every four hours.

BA is confident the measures in place to enable flying post-Covid will not put passengers off and is pushing for more leniency, especially if travellers have received both Covid jabs.

Richard Treeves, BA’s head of business resilience, said: “Booking a flight on a whim is not realistic at the moment. Travelling now takes preparedness. BA flies to 215 destinations and all have different rules. What we need is an international standard.”

Monday marks a significant day on the road to freedom. To cater for “pent up demand” BA has laid on extra flights to Faro in Portugal with departures from Manchester, Newcastle and Edinburgh – routes that did not exist pre-pandemic.

New features at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 include night before bag drops, virtual check-in and virtual boarding where passengers are called on to planes via text.

There are 600 hand cleaning stations containing 3,000 litres of sanitiser dotted around the terminal. It is also building a new zone especially for anxious families travelling with children.

BA is also the first airline in the world to trial an ultra-rapid Covid antigen test which returns results in 25 seconds. The saliva test is now being piloted on flight and cabin crew.

Gurm Nijjer, BA’s head of ground product, said: “Last April [at the height of the pandemic] it was scary, eerie, around here.

“Of course there will be changes – because there need to be changes – but there is so much pent-up demand to get away. The next [Government] review is on June 21 and we all have our fingers crossed.”

Comment by Claire Bentley

As we continue to navigate our way through the pandemic, there’s no doubt that holidays will look different for the foreseeable future.

The things we know and love about travel, however, will remain – the anticipation of new experiences, the warmth as you step off the plane, the excitement of pulling up to your hotel and the sensation of sand between your toes.

We know that after a long time at home, some of our customers may feel anxious about travelling, so we’ve implemented measures to make holidays safe. At the airport and on all of our British Airways flights, we observe social distancing, offer hand sanitiser, require face coverings, and enforce enhanced cleaning procedures, to name just a few examples.

Every hotel that British Airways Holidays customers visit has implemented updated health and safety procedures in line with the World Health Organization recommendations. We’ve also selected a number of providers to offer a choice of discounted testing products, helping to make this affordable and easy.

These things might feel different, but they won’t stand in the way of the joy that travel brings.

People are eager to get away – to relax, reunite with loved ones or continue face-to-face business. Since the framework for the re-opening of international travel was confirmed, searches for summer holidays have skyrocketed.

In response, British Airways has added over 90,000 seats to European destinations this summer and we continue to offer great value, such as holidays to Portugal from £219pp and flights to Lanzarote from £49pp each way. As countries across the globe lift travel restrictions at different rates, it’s a great time to explore destinations that might be slightly quieter than usual.

We’re noticing that people are treating themselves after the last year, from upgrading their room type to extending their stay. Whatever the holiday type, we know that our customers all want one thing: flexibility.

Flexibility is at the heart of our Customer Promise, allowing customers to secure a holiday with a deposit from just £60pp, with the final payment due just three weeks before travel. If they want to change their plans, they can amend their trip free of charge or cancel it and receive a voucher to be used in the future.

We’ve been looking forward to 17 May for a long time. We can’t wait to welcome our customers back to enjoy holidays with us, however different they may be.

Claire Bentley is Managing Director of British Airways Holidays

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